


You're All I Want for Christmas

by freaky_hanyou



Series: Christmas Oneshot Collection: The Naughty (And Sometimes Nice) List [6]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - World War II, Angst and Feels, Christmas Feels, Christmas Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21867682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freaky_hanyou/pseuds/freaky_hanyou
Summary: They’d signed up together. Trained together. Shipped out together. Fought together. And they were supposed to come home together…“Makoto, get down!”BOOM!In which Haru reflects on recent events during a wartime Christmas, and I swear to God there's a happy ending.
Relationships: Nanase Haruka/Tachibana Makoto
Series: Christmas Oneshot Collection: The Naughty (And Sometimes Nice) List [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1234142
Comments: 6
Kudos: 37





	You're All I Want for Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> [First, this story will be more meaningful if you listen to this song first.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoLDiFzESiM%22)
> 
> So this is/was not planned to be this year’s Christmas fic, and it still won’t be the only one. It line jumped for 2 reasons; one is that Fic 1 is _huge_ (by my oneshot standards) and with the negative free time I have this holiday season, this one is the more surefire bet to get out to you before the end of the year. And reason 2 is FEELS I need all of you to ~~come suffer with me~~ come share this with me lol.
> 
> I’d never heard this song before; I pulled a random CD out of the back of my car and this was on it. And I thought hey, this sounds like a song that’s either A. played as contrast when the couple has the Conflict of the movie, or B. during the big climactic love scene of the movie. And as I agreed with myself that B was the better answer, I also thought it had to be a movie set during World War II, and then I just pictured MH dancing randomly to it and it all merged together and you guys better grab some tissues lol. 
> 
> Also I did google a couple things about WWII just to try and keep out plotholes but I am no military expert, so I apologize if I missed something obvious which I hope I didn’t. Also also for the sake of this story, everyone’s Allied American, or this probably wouldn’t make a lot of sense.
> 
> Got the tissues? Good.

They’d signed up together. Trained together. Shipped out together. Fought together. And they were supposed to come home together…

_“Makoto, get down!”_

**_BOOM!_ **

****

—ru-chan?”

“Haru-chan?” Haru gave himself a little shake; they weren’t on a battlefield, he was at a dance hall…and Nagisa was standing in front of him, trying to get his attention.

Haru tried to smile for him, but he didn’t think he’d managed it. “I’m sorry, Nagisa, did you say something?’

Nagisa gave him a sympathetic look for a split second before his smile grew bright and cheery. “I said, ‘How about you come dance with me?’” Nagisa grinned extra widely for good measure as he gestured behind him at the couples and groups of friends out on the dance floor.

This time, Haru gave him a rueful smile. “Nagisa, I don’t think I’ll make for much of a dance partner.” He indicated his cane before he looked pointedly down his uniform at his injured, still-healing leg for extra emphasis.

Nagisa, however, was undeterred. “That’s alright, you don’t have to _dance_ dance or anything; it’ll be fun!”

Haru simply shook his head. “It’s alright, Nagisa; thank you. I’m enjoying watching you and Rei from here.”

Nagisa pouted but reluctantly left him alone and returned to Rei, who had been watching the exchange from the corner of the dance floor. The tiniest of smiles formed at the corner of Haru’s lips as he watched the pair dance from his table at the back of the dance floor, across from the door. It was only because of his love for Nagisa and Rei that he had agreed to let them drag him here to Ms. Amakata’s Annual Christmas Eve Party; he’d never have come otherwise. Not now, not when he was still healing, not when his dance partner was…gone.

He’d been told that it’d already been over a month since that day, but during that time, Haru had really only been aware of the passing of a few weeks. The enemy shell had given him a concussion and had riddled his leg with shrapnel. He’d been in and out of consciousness for a long time as they tried to save his leg and keep him from getting an infection. He was lucky, though; the shrapnel had missed any major arteries, and though it would take a while to heal, he’d eventually be able to walk normally again.

And soon after he’d received that news, he’d noticed the letter from his commanding officer sitting on his bedside table—and it had told him what his heart had already known about what had happened to Makoto. Letters like that one were usually only sent to the families, but his CO knew that they’d been through everything together—he knew that Haru would want to be told.

Makoto had officially been declared Missing in Action, but Haru knew the truth. He’d been right there; he’d seen the shell coming. They’d probably never find Makoto…but Haru just couldn’t bring himself to tell that to Mrs. Tachibana yet.

Haru still really couldn’t believe it himself; it was too fresh, too unreal. No matter where he was, he always caught himself looking at the door, expecting to find Makoto there, apologizing for being late with a sheepish grin. But that would never happen again, and Haru couldn’t help but feel that it was his fault. Rationally, he knew there was nothing he could’ve done, but he still couldn’t help how he felt. He should’ve noticed the shell sooner, should’ve covered Makoto with his body, should’ve done _something._

Doing something might’ve led to some other outcome…and Haru could’ve endured anything, _anything_ but this. He looked to the door again. Nothing.

Haru let out a tiny sigh as he turned back to the crowd. The current upbeat song faded to a close, and the lights dimmed slightly; couples moved in to hold each other close as a slow song began:

_You’re all I want for Christmas,_

_All I want my whole life through…_

And suddenly, Haru wasn’t at the Christmas party anymore: he was in his own living room what now felt like hundreds of years ago, wrapped in Makoto’s embrace as he held tight to Makoto’s chest; the two swayed slowly in place, dancing cheek to cheek by the light of the Christmas tree while this song played on the radio.

_Each day is just like Christmas,_

_Anytime that I’m with you…_

_The lights on the Christmas tree bathed the room in a soft, almost ethereal glow. Makoto tilted his head, his lips gently brushing Haru’s ear as he murmured, “You know, I think this should be our song at our wedding.”_

_Haru pulled back so he could see him, giving him a fond and tender smile. “You do?”_

_Makoto nodded. “I do. I’m sure there are probably more flashy and poetic songs that describe how I feel about you, but this one just…fits. I don’t know, I can’t describe it right…but it’s perfect, don’t you think?”_

_You’re all I want for Christmas,_

_And if all my dreams come true,_

_Haru laughed quietly before he leaned upwards, his lips edging closer to his. “It is,” he agreed, “And so are you.” He closed the remaining distance between them, pausing their romantic dance for a few equally romantic kisses._

_Then I’ll awake on Christmas morning,_

_And find my stocking filled with you…_

With a jolt Haru was back in reality, sitting in the back of the dance hall as couples slowly swayed together on the dance floor. Tears trailed unceasingly down his cheeks, but Haru didn’t even notice them as he felt the constant, slow simmer of pain inside him suddenly flare up into a whirlwind of anguish and hysteria. He held his cane in a shaky grip as he struggled to stand; he couldn’t do this, what had he been thinking? He needed to get out of here, he needed to get out of here _now;_ all he wanted was _Makoto, **Makoto—**_

****

He turned to face the door, and a new figure in uniform stood there, frantically scanning the room. He was tall and well-built; he had slightly-mussed, sandy brown hair; and even from this distance, Haru could see that he had unmistakable, kindly, bewitching green eyes. Haru’s mind told him what he was seeing but his heart couldn’t believe it; he saw the man notice him, and the world seemed to move in slow motion. The man’s lips formed Haru’s name but Haru couldn’t hear anything; the song flooded his ears as the man drew closer to him—Haru then noticed with alarm that he was walking with a severe limp, progressing slowly through the forest of tables.

He finally reached Haru, and the man saw the shine of Haru’s tears up close—he’d thought that he’d seen tears from across the room, but now that he’d confirmed it, he could only think about comforting him, about making the tears go away. He reached out, brushing one wet trail away tenderly with the pad of his thumb. “Haru-chan…”

Haru’s leg gave out; Makoto caught him up against his body, his hands holding fast around Haru’s waist until he could regain his balance. When Haru finally righted himself, he looked up to see Makoto looking down at him, his face awash with concern. “Haru-chan, you’re hurt…”

Haru’s ability to speak came rushing back to him at _that._ “I’m _—I’m_ hurt?! _You…_ you were…oh my god, are you okay?!” He belatedly noticed a long, angry scar on one side of Makoto’s face that was also pockmarked with tiny scars and burns. The scars trailed down below his collar, implying that this wound affected more than just his face. Haru gently reached up to examine his cheek further; Makoto tried, but he was unable to hide his tiny wince from Haru’s touch. Haru immediately pulled his hand back but Makoto caught it, bringing it back to rest over the injured side.

“I’m fine,” Makoto said reassuringly before he started to joke, “They got me good, didn’t they? We’ll have to take all of our wedding pictures in profile…”

Haru was still in shock, so he was unable to respond to Makoto’s levity. He needed answers; nothing made sense. “Makoto, what…what happened?”

Makoto nodded the tiniest bit as his expression grew clouded; Haru knew that he was asking Makoto to recall something that he didn’t want to remember, but he couldn’t help it: he had to _know._

Makoto understood this and tried his best to explain. “I…I don’t remember much, actually,” he began, trying to tell Haru as much as he possibly could, “I only remember flashes, and burning, and a lot of pain…where my memories finally make sense again is when I came to at the hospital…but apparently I’d already been there for a long time; they told me it’d been _weeks,_ and that they’d nearly lost me several times.”

Haru knew that Makoto was going to say that, but his face still began to crumple at the thought of it. Makoto gripped his hand tighter, and Haru steeled himself. “Please, keep going.”

Makoto didn’t want to hurt Haru anymore, but he forced out the rest of the story: “As soon as I told them who I was, they told me that I was MIA; my dog tags must have disappeared in the blast. I knew I couldn’t stay there a second longer, but they wouldn’t let me leave yet. They told me they’d send word, but…but…” Makoto paused. He knew Haru wasn’t going to like this. “But I asked our CO for help, and I ended up getting permission to be put on the same ship as the one with the letter home on it. And I was fine!” Makoto added hastily, trying to stop the impending anger at his rash decision, “I was more than healthy enough to travel, and there were doctors onboard the ship, too. There wasn’t even risk of infection anymore…” Makoto honestly wasn’t sure about that last part, but it sounded good at least.

Haru surprisingly didn’t react, however, so Makoto rushed to finish the story: “So I went home first, and then they told me you were here, so here I am.”

Haru tried to take this all in, he really did, but try as he might, his mind could only focus on one point. “You…you reckless… _idiot!”_ He pulled his hand away from Makoto’s cheek to hold tightly to the front of his uniform, pushing him back a tiny step in his anger. “You’re still really hurt! You should’ve waited! You should’ve… _I_ should’ve…Makoto…Oh, _Makoto…”_ Haru’s anger melted as his emotions finally overwhelmed him, and he dropped his cane to fling both arms around Makoto’s shoulders, burying his sobs in the front of his uniform. Makoto held him around the waist just as tightly, pressing kiss after kiss to any part of Haru’s head his lips could reach. Haru soon composed himself enough to pull back and catch his lips in an actual kiss—a desperate, passionate, long-overdue kiss.

Haru eventually pulled back with a sniff and settled his cheek on Makoto’s collarbone, but he never relinquished his firm grip; Makoto held him close, supporting him as he gently rocked them in place to the music. Haru found that he still couldn’t stop his tears, but they were of a different sort now—tears of relief, and of love and happiness—tears he couldn’t even begin to hold back. 

_You’re all I want for Christmas,_

_And if all my dreams come true,_

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Makoto whispered, and Haru couldn’t help but let out a chuckle as he held him tighter.

“Idiot Makoto, I knew you’d say that.”

And the two danced in their own little world at the back of the dance floor, not yet noticed by the rest of the crowd, content as long as they were in each other’s arms.

_Then I’ll awake on Christmas morning,_

_And find my stocking filled with you…_

\---((The End!))---

**Author's Note:**

>  ~~I’m not crying you’re crying~~
> 
> If you can listen to the song _and_ read the flashback at the same time then you are stronger than I lololol
> 
> So yeaaah that happened. I do have an actual, planned, Christmas fic but it’s very very large and dirty so with how busy I am this holiday season I didn’t have confidence I’d get it done by the end of the year so I typed this first. You’re welcome? 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed(?) ! And just in case, Have a Wonderful Holiday!!!
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> ~freaky-hanyou


End file.
